New NJ Teen Auto Decal Law…will it prevent car accidents?
May 20th, 2010 | By Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. | Category: Blogs, New Jersey Injury Information
New Jersey is keen on reducing car accidents and car accident fatalities among teens, the group representing the largest number of drivers involved in New Jersey car accidents each year. On May 1, 2010 Kyleigh’s Law went into effect in New Jersey. The law, named for Kyleigh D’Alessio, a teen who was killed in a New Jersey car accident in 2006 while riding in a car with 3 other teenagers, requires permit and probationary drivers under age 21 to display a red decal on their vehicles. The purpose of the decal is to help police easily identify probationary drivers and more effectively enforce licensing restrictions in order to keep teens – and the rest of us – safe on New Jersey’s roadways. The cost for one set of decals is $4.00. Teen drivers who do not display the red decal may be fined up to $100. The decals are removable and need not be affixed when adult family members are using the vehicle.
Though Kyleigh’s Law was passed with the intention of fostering safety, it has encountered much controversy. Some opponents of the law claim that the red decal teens must apply to their front and rear license plates leaves them vulnerable to predators of all sorts, as police are not the only ones who can spot that red decal. Many parents of New Jersey teens contend that this law creates a most unsafe environment for their children, while teens themselves have expressed concerns and fears. Several demonstrations against the law have taken place across the state and there is a loud cry among citizens to have the law repealed. A lawsuit was filed in New Jersey earlier this year challenging the constitutionality of the law based upon age discrimination, but was dismissed by the judge, claiming the law does not violate the New Jersey constitution.
There are additional restrictions that Kyleigh’s Law applies to New Jersey’s graduated driver’s license (GDL) program. They include passenger limits, a stricter curfew, and a ban on hands-free communication devices. Those driving with a learner’s permit must have an adult 21 or older, who has been licensed to drive for at least 3 years, beside them in the vehicle at all times. In addition to that licensed driver, only one passenger from outside of the household is allowed to ride in a vehicle with a permitted driver. Probationary drivers are allowed only one passenger in the car unless a parent or guardian is in the vehicle. Also, it is now mandated that probationary drivers not operate a motor vehicle after 11:01 p.m. and before 5:00 a.m. Kyleigh’s law does not provide a grandfather clause, thus every teen driver holding a permit or a probationary license is subject to the terms of the law until they successfully obtain a full driver’s license or reach the age of 21, whichever comes first.
Teen drivers in NJ must be a minimum of 16 years old in order to apply for a learner’s permit. They are required to enroll in a state approved driver training course then pass a written test. Once the permit has been obtained a teen driver must practice supervised driving for a minimum of 6 months. The next step is to graduate to a probationary license, which requires being at least 17 years of age and passing a road test. The driver must complete one full year of unsupervised driving before applying for a basic license at age 18. Age 18 is the minimum age at which a basic license (full driving privileges) will be issued in the state of NJ. Once a teen’s full year of unsupervised, probationary driving has been completed, they no longer have to apply the red decal to their vehicle.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens. Recent studies have shown that an average of 6,000 teens are involved in fatal car accidents each year; additionally 300,000 teens sustain injuries in car accidents each year. Moreover, the risk of being involved in a car accident is highest for a teen driver within his/her first 12-24 months of driving. The primary reasons attributed to teen car accidents are overconfidence, driving at excessive speed, driving while intoxicated (DWI/DUI), distracted driving and inexperience.
The personal injury lawyers at Saile and Saile LLP are highly experienced in representing individuals who have been hit by careless, reckless, or immature drivers. Learn more about recovering damages for your or a loved one’s car accident injuries by scheduling a free, no obligation consultation with our personal injury attorneys.
Since NJ enacted their GDL program in 2001, NJ car accidents are down 5 percent and traffic fatalities reduced by 15 percent. Even so, last year in New Jersey 36 teen drivers and 8 teen passengers were killed in NJ car accidents.
Do you feel NJ’s stricter teen driving laws will continue to improve roadway safety or simply continue to anger its residents? If you think this law is good, do you feel a similar law should be applied to other age groups, such as those over 70?
Its not going to help prevent accident at all!
The kids who put these warning signs on their cars are going it because they’re good kids and good drivers. those kids who would be out til 3am anyway, will still do it, and be without a sticker. It’ll probably actually distract cops from the real problems, while making the good drivers suffer at more restricted times (many of which hurt the freshmen in college who come home late at might like me).
Also, if it was just for the cops to find people, it would be on the back licenses plat only and would be bigger and easier to spot. Thank god it isn’t. Its not for the cops, its a warning to other drivers, so they can see “Hey look new drivers, better stay away from that stupid kid!”
If I have to have one, cause i had my permit for 3 years because is simply could not afford to get my license til i was 19, why should I be treated as a kid whos had their for 6 months. I’ve been driving for almost 4 years and i gotta have one. Yet drunk drivers, who have taken people lives are allowed out on the roads freely, and Gov Corzine is still allowed to roam free… thats pretty screwed up Christie…go home, rethink your life, and don’t run for governor again, do us all a favor.
I know everyone has very strong opinions about Kyleigh’s Law. It doesn’t matter witch side of the fence your own, the long and the short of it is something has to happen. The old way is not working, we are not keeping up with innovation. We may even need a graduated program, and start with a larger bumper decal. Similar to the ones provided by TeenDrivingHotline.com
I think that this makes the children easy prey for all the crazies out there. I don’t think this is a safe thing to do. Also, being as they are removable, anyone could steal them off the cars and then the kids get fined. Alot of holes in this theory and danger to the children is and should be top priority.